Between Apple, Google, and Samsung, not to mention a whole host of more affordable options, the best fitness tracker contenders have been a crowded market for a while. But the next tech giant to enter could be Microsoft, with a new slew of AI-powered Surface wearables.
That's according to the company's EVP and Consumer CMO Yusuf Mehdi in an interview with tech YouTuber Austin Evans, which you can see below.
During the interview, Mehdi says "I do think that these devices that see the world, that you wear on your body, on your person — I think that those combined with the AI will be very valuable."
"It can do image recognition, it can tell you [and] talk to you about what's going on. I think that's a fascinating place that we'll go."
More AI wearables?
AI wearables have struggled to capture the market despite the popularity of AI in general across all facets of tech.
For every success story like the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses, there are some like the Humane AI Pin that have come and gone with little fanfare.
Still, the possibility of a tech giant like Microsoft entering the frame will generate additional interest on all products in the space, while also potentially helping persuade developers to jump on board to offer new solutions – particularly if the market picks up.
The trouble is that Microsoft's own AI efforts have been fraught with controversy. Its Recall feature, which tracks everything on your screen in case you need to refer back to it later, has undergone several revisions after suggestions it was invasive, while other reports have suggested a strained relationship with AI partner OpenAI.
If the company plans to bring a wearable to market, here's hoping it gets the balance right between usefulness and privacy.
